by Ethan Johnson
June 14, 2006

Sadly, it's back to the microwave again. This is kind of like quitting smoking: if you can quit outright and never smoke again, great. It's the "social smoking" and whatnot that creeps up on you and poof, you're back to your old habits. Fortunately I never got into smoking.

But if one must fall off the wagon, one may at least pick one's vice. I went to Sprouts and opted to check out their microwave-ready fare. Since space is at a premium there, they try to make their shots count as much as possible, and they are picky about what they carry. As a result, it was no surprise to see some Ethnic Gourmet offerings. I picked one up for the next time of need, but decided to go a different direction and try the "Burrito Grande with Chili Verde Sauce" by Cedarlane Foods.

Checking out the box, here's what they're claiming:

• Price: Under $4 USD.
• Selection: Mostly Mexican-themed offerings, which were hit and miss with me. It was an alternative to Indian though. All of their offerings seem to be "veggie" (as opposed to "vegan") which factored in to the hits/misses. The burrito grande seemed substantial enough for lunch. They made a special point of mentioning that this had basmati rice in it.
• Processing: Organic and "all natural". The ingredient list confirms that everything exists in nature, and Quality Assurance International certifies that this is 100% organic. Good to know, although this could be like those political think tanks that serve as a front for some polluter or whatever. If this endorsement rings true with anyone, that's good information. Marketing rhetoric-wise, everything seems to check out. So will I!

Now for the real heavy lifting: Reality time!

Buzz: None. Not many people milling about today, so nobody had any opinions about my choice. Nobody came to my desk "shaking the Snoopy fist" so that's good too.

Aroma: Kind of nondescript, considering the salsa verde. The aroma became more definitive while I was eating. Not too obnoxious to eat at your desk.

Cooking Ease: I did the old "peel back" trick, as opposed to poking holes in the top. I set the timer for 5 minutes, and as this thing was frozen stiff, I added 2.5 more minutes to the timer. The dish was bubbling so I pulled it out and dug in. Ack! It was ice cold in the center. I ran it through again for another 3 minutes. So that's 10.5 minutes, frozen stiff. That's kind of unusual for such a small item on high power.

Taste: Pretty nondescript, I'm sad to say. On paper it is healthy and all that (as microwaved foods go), but there's not much "zip". Maybe it is a plot to get people to eat fresh foods and not frozen microwaved foods. The rice cooked well in the greater context of the dish. This seems to be the secret to microwaved rice, as opposed to making it a "side dish".

And now, the verdict. On a future trip to the store, I would, and you may:

• Make this a staple item on your shopping list
• Pick a few of these up from time to time
• Buy one if you see it
• Buy one out of desperation if your preference is not available
• Picket/boycott the store until they agree to stop selling this item

Sorry gang. It filled the void in my lunch bag, but little else.

If you do give this a try, please let me know how your experience compared with mine. Thanks! <EM>

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